Consequences
by psycho-rag-doll
Summary: Mal and crew run into Diamond on a planet that's not the one they left her on. But something's different about her- something big. Can Diamond keep her secrets safe while on board Serenity?
1. Chapter 1

Captain Malcolm Reynolds quickly sidestepped to avoid getting caught in the middle of a brawl.

"A fight!" Jayne said from behind Mal. "Can we join?"

"That drunken argument has no place for us."

"But we haven't seen any action in days!" Jayne complained. "I got an itchy trigger finger and an even itchier fist."

Mal sighed slightly. Sometimes, he didn't understand the 'logic' in Jayne's mind. The stuff he said usually didn't make sense, but he always had something to say.

It was true that the crew hadn't had too many issues with jobs lately. But Mal counted that as a blessing. He turned back to his crew. "Y'all don't have to follow me. Go on, get. Do whatever you want. But stay out of trouble." Mal looked at Jayne. "We're leaving at ten. If you ain't on the ship, don't expect us to come lookin' for you."

Mal watched as the group split up. He was a little uneasy about Jayne, but he passed right by the fight. Mal turned and continued on his way.

As he walked, he thought. His style of living wasn't perfect, he knew that. But it was one he'd become accustomed to. The thrill of doing a job, the feel of money being put in his pocket, the search for a new job. It was simple and it kept him flying.

Caught up in his thoughts, Captain Reynolds lost track of his surroundings. Suddenly, Mal was pulled into a darkened alley, something poking him in the small of his back.

"Don't make any sudden movements." said a voice behind him.

Mal reached for his gun, but found an empty holster. 'Wait a second,' he thought to himself. He felt the pressure on his back lessen. He slowly turned around.

"Hello, Diamond."

"Captain." The girl said with a nod. She held his gun out to him.

Mal hadn't seen the girl in months. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "This ain't the planet we dropped you off on."

"Come now, Captain. Surely you of all people understand the want to travel. I couldn't stay on one planet for the rest of my life."

Mal nodded. He certainly did understand. "Well, you look good. You look-" At that moment, Mal happened to look away from Diamond's face. "Whoa."

Diamond's hand subconsciously shot to her swelled stomach. "Well," Mal said. "That's different." He stared at her stomach a minute longer. "So." he finally said. "When are you due?"

"No idea." Diamond said. "I haven't seen a doctor since… I was on Serenity."

"Well." Mal said. "I'm sure Doctor Tam wouldn't mind giving a look to your… situation."

"As much fun as that sounds," Diamond said. "I've got to get going. I have to get to my shift at that bar over there." She motioned with her head. "Boss doesn't like it when workers are late."

Mal then noticed a strange pattern of bruises on Diamond's wrist that looked like fingers. "Surely a strong girl like you can take him if he tried to touch you."

Diamond smiled slightly. "I just want to blend in, Captain. And in my present condition, fighting isn't so easy."

"You want out of this."

Diamond looked startled. "I have to save up money for when the baby comes."

"You're not happy here. Do you really want to bring your baby into a world you hate?" Diamond remained silent. "Go to your shift." Mal said. "We'll come get you in a few hours."

"You can't just walk in there and take me away." Diamond said. "Boss'll come after you."

"Which is why we create a distraction."

"What are you going to do?"

"Don't you worry about that. Just grab some of your stuff and keep it behind the bar." With that, Mal walked away.

"Capt'n, where we goin'?" Jayne asked.

"I'm feelin' a might thirsty."

"We've passed three bars already."

"We're here." Mal entered the bar, followed by Jayne and Zoë. Wash had headed back to the ship with the others to get ready to leave.

"Sir, what are we doing?" Zoë asked. She always seemed to know when Mal wasn't giving all the details.

Mal scanned the bar. He found Diamond in a corner, serving drinks to a bunch of guys. From their movements, Mal guessed that they were harassing her. Diamond looked up and caught Mal's eye. With the slightest movement of his head, Mal motioned to the bar. Diamond nodded and headed over to the bar.

Mal took a drink from an empty table and drained it. "Follow my lead." he said. Then he walked over and punched a guy in the face. When the guy turned back around to face Mal, the captain said "Oh, sorry. Thought you were someone else."

The guy took a swing and Mal ducked. The fist landed on another patron's face. And just like Mal had hoped, a fight broke out and spread through the bar like wildfire.

Zoë looked at Mal like he was crazy. Jayne jumped into action.

"Meet me out front with Jayne in five." Mal said. He turned and crept behind the bar.

Diamond was crouched behind the bar, bag hugged to her chest. It was the same bag Mal had found her in, all those months ago.

"Is there a back way out of here?" he asked.

Diamond nodded. Mal followed her and they found a hidden door. Outside in the alley, Mal turned to Diamond.

"See?" he said. "Distraction."


	2. Chapter 2

The two walked around the bar. Within a few seconds, Zoë and Jayne came outside.

"Care to explain what that was about, Captain?" Zoë asked. Then she noticed who was standing next to Mal. "Diamond." she said.

"What the hell happened to you?" Jayne asked.

"I swallowed a watermelon."

"Let's head back." Mal said. "Jayne, carry Diamond's bag."

"What? Why?"

"I can get it. Don't worry about me, Captain."

"You gonna tell me what's going on?" Zoë asked.

"I'd rather tell everyone at once." Mal said. "Once we get back, tell Wash to get us flying. Once we hit cruising speed, I want a crew meeting."

"Yes sir."

Once on board, Zoë went to talk to her husband. "Your bunk is still free." Mal said to Diamond. "You can stay there."

"Just how long am I going to be staying?"

"Long enough for the doc to check you out, see what's going on-"

"What's going on is I'm pregnant."

Mal bit his tongue. "Then we'll see where the next planet with a good hospital is. We'll drop you there."

"Fine."

Mal followed Diamond to her bunk. She placed her bag on the floor in a corner of the room. "Come up to the kitchen." Mal said. "We should reach cruising soon."

Once in the kitchen, Diamond sat down at the table. She exhaled slowly and placed a hand on her stomach.

"Everything okay?" Mal asked. "Do you need something?"

"A glass of water would be good." Diamond said, starting to stand.

"Sit." Mal said, taking a cup from the cabinet. "Since you don't know how far along you are, I don't want to risk a baby falling out of you in my kitchen."

Mal handed Diamond the drink and headed up to the bridge. "Hey, Mal." Wash said. "We just hit cruising speed."

"Good." Mal said. He took the microphone and made the announcement that there was a crew meeting to take place in the kitchen. Zoë and Wash followed him.

"Oh." Wash said when he walked into the kitchen. "Diamond. Hi."

"Hello."

Mal noticed Diamond had positioned herself at the table so you couldn't really see her stomach. Maybe she was waiting for everyone to reveal her… situation.

One by one, the rest of the crew came into the kitchen. Everyone seemed surprised to see Diamond. Kaylee ran over to give her a hug.

Once everyone was present, Mal cleared his throat. "As you can see, Diamond has come back aboard Serenity. The reason for this is simple." He looked at his guest. "Diamond?"

She looked up at the captain. She nodded and stood up. There was a collective gasp from everyone except River. She merely smiled.

"You're pregnant!" Kaylee said.

"So it would appear." Diamond said.

"How far along are you?" Simon asked.

"That's exactly why she's here." Mal said. "She doesn't know exactly. She hasn't been to a proper medical facility since we saw her last." Mal turned to Simon. "If you could give her an exam." Mal turned to Wash. "I want to know the next planet with a good hospital. That's where we'll drop her."

Simon stood up. "Come on, Diamond. Let's see what we can figure out." Simon placed a hand on Diamond's back and led her to the infirmary. River followed the pair.

Mal looked at the rest of the group. "The rest of you just… don't stress her out. I think stress causes women to push. I don't want no babies born on my ship."

Down in the infirmary, Simon began the exam by asking a few questions. "How far along do you think you are?"

Diamond shrugged. "Maybe eight months?"

"Do you know who the father is?"

"No."

"Okay. Well, I do have a tool that I can use to do a paternity test-"

"Don't." Simon looked at Diamond. "It really doesn't matter who the father is. He's not going to be in the baby's life."

Simon nodded, a little concerned by this. "Do you want to know the sex of the baby?"

"No. I'd prefer to be surprised."

"Can I touch it?"

Diamond and Simon looked over at River. She was looking at the rounded stomach beneath Diamond's shirt.

"River." Simon started.

"It's fine." Diamond said. "Go ahead."

Simon watched as his sister gently placed her hand on Diamond's stomach. Then he remembered something.

"Have you had any contact with the Alliance?" he asked, fearing for his sister's safety as well as his own.

"No. I had the necklace melted down and used it as payment to get the tattoo removed. They did the best they could." Diamond lifted her sleeve to show the doctor her arm. Upon it, where a purple butterfly had once shown, was now a Chinese character. "They ended up putting my name in Chinese in its place, to make it somewhat better or something."

As Simon began his exam by checking blood pressure and heart rate, he debated whether or not to ask Diamond something. Finally he gave into his urge.

"Diamond," he said. "Do you… do you know who my sister and I are?"

Diamond paused, and then nodded. "I knew the minute I saw you two when I had the captain cornered with his own gun."

Simon nodded. This was not the answer he'd been hoping to hear.

"The Alliance doesn't know where you are."

Simon looked up. "What?"

"I realized that if the Alliance didn't want me, they didn't want any information I happened to get."

Simon realized how lucky this made him. "Thank you. If there's anything I can ever do…"

"No worries." Diamond cut him off. "I'm sure something will come along for you to repay me by."


End file.
